No cover too tough: How Garrett Epple’s defensive brilliance paves way for Cannons’ success

Garrett Epple has been around the block in professional lacrosse. 

In his eighth pro season, the reigning Dave Pietramala Defensive Player of the Year embarked on a new chapter in his career. For the first time since the PLL’s inception, Epple donned colors other than the California Redwoods’ green and yellow. 

Signed by the Boston Cannons as a free agent back in March, Epple’s presence on the back end for the Boom Squad has been pivotal in their defensive success this season. As the 29-year-old chases his first championship, he’s been everything the Cannons hoped for and more. 

Last Saturday, the veteran showcased his defensive mastery with a season-best five caused turnovers against the league’s top offense in the New York Atlas. Tasked with covering Jeff Teat, he held the league’s leading scorer to zero goals and just two assists. 

The Cannons defense as a whole contained the Bulls’ deadly trio of Teat, Xander Dickson and Connor Shellenberger to one goal all afternoon, as they handed New York its second loss of the season in a statement 17-12 victory for Boston. 

“It was one of the reasons I wanted to get Epple on my team,” head coach Brian Holman said after the game. “He’s a veteran, he’s a pro. He’s been through all the wars.”

There’s no cover too tough for Epple. The PLL leader in caused turnovers (18), he’s in a league of his own through seven games (New York’s Gavin Adler is the next closest with 11). 

Currently on track to exceed his career-best season in 2019 with 23 CTOs, Epple’s on pace for 25 with three regular-season games remaining.  

“He could be a synonym for the word ‘disrupt,’” Cannons defensive coordinator Kyle Hartzell told me back in May. 

With his ability to anticipate and disrupt plays both on-ball and off-ball, Epple has become a cornerstone for the Cannons’ defense in a year they needed it most. 

After long-time Cannon and field general Jack Kielty went down in training camp with a season-ending Achilles injury, Boston’s world was rocked. 

“You don’t replace Jack Kielty,” stated Coach Holman during training camp. “He is the Cannons.”

Despite the loss of their defensive leader, the Cannons defense has held firm in the face of adversity. Epple, Bryce Young, Cade van Raaphorst and now Jake Pulver, who returned to the lineup on July 6, have risen to the occasion, understanding what each of them needed to do to step up in Kielty’s absence, on and off the field. 

Their combined efforts have given the Cannons the second-best statistical defense in the league behind the Carolina Chaos, allowing an average of just 11.3 scores per game. Aided by a shutdown defensive midfield group of Ethan Rall, Zach Goodrich, Bubba Fairman and Jeff Trainor, and one of the league’s best goaltenders in Colin Kirst between the pipes, there are no weaknesses in this Cannons defense. 

As good as they are on paper, they’re even better when you view them as one cohesive defensive unit. Much of that is a credit to the culture the Cannons have built in their locker room. 

Even in his first year with the team, Epple bought into Cannons culture from Day 1, and it shows in his current form. We’ve seen a more vocal leader on the field. He’s always been a voice of guidance for his teammates, but when he signed with the Cannons, he expected Kielty to take the reins in that aspect. 

“When he went down, we all felt we needed to raise our level of play and communication,” Epple told me last month. 

Saturday’s rematch against the No. 1-ranked Atlas showed a night-and-day difference for the Cannons defense from the 19-12 season-opening loss in Albany. 

In Epple, Young and van Raaphorst’s first game playing together, they struggled to get on the same page against a fire-powered New York offense that came out hot from the get-go. 

“Defense comes down to chemistry sometimes and learning how to get there,” Epple explained after the loss. “We’ll certainly get there at some point this year, but it’s the first game.”

It’s safe to say they’ve arrived at that point. 

“They’re a different team than they were that weekend, and so are we,” Teat, who lit up the Cannons with 11 points in the season opener, said after his quiet outing Saturday. “[The Cannons defense] did a pretty good job of clogging up the middle and causing us to force it at times, and we didn’t shoot the ball well, so credit to that defense and Kirst.”

Every week, we’ve seen Epple and the rest of the Cannons defense make strides as they continue to gel as one. There’s no doubt the chemistry is there, and as Epple told me back in June, they’re only going to continue to get better with each game.

As the Cannons look forward to the remainder of the season, Epple's leadership and defensive skills will be as crucial as ever down the stretch. With three more regular-season games to play and its sights set on playoffs, Boston’s defense is more in-rhythm than ever, ready to face any challenge that comes its way.